Hey Stranger
by sussiekitten
Summary: AU - Eragon would never have guessed that his life could change so much just by stepping onto the bus that afternoon. But Fate had always liked to play with him. That year would prove to be no different. M/E, Slash


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Eragon or anything associated with the Inheritance Cycle. This was inspired by a wonderful story called "_Tinted Rose"_ by the amazing author Dualism. This is only my twist where I have used different characters (Eragon and Murtagh), fandom (Eragon) and plot.

**Claimer: **I, SussieKitten, own this plot and the story. Borrow or steal my plot, (when used) my original characters or story and I will report you.

**A/N** Well, here I am again. ;) As you see, I actually got around to posting this one-shot. Hehe. Who would have thought? And would you believe that this came into my head while I actually was sitting on the bus? Lol. I have too much time on my hands during that fifteen-minute ride, I kid you not!

**EDIT:** (2nd of July 08) A few spelling/grammar mistakes have been fixed.

* * *

A boy with light brown hair, no older than eighteen, sat in a slouched position as the bus moved along. It rocked softly, as it always did on the well-worn road. His dark brown eyes were firmly staring out of the window, so firmly they must have been to be forced to look that way. A soft flinch ever so often told anyone keen enough to watch that his eyes kept moving towards where the teen didn't want them to.

As it was, the brunet would gaze out of the window emptily and slowly his eyes would move to gaze out into the bus. When his dark brown gaze would locate on a target the teen would flinch and once again stare out of the window. A blush would often accompany the flinch. This pattern was often repeated during one single ride.

Eragon, as the teen's name was, wasn't happy that his eyes would wander, such one could see on his face. For every time his eyes wandered, they would stare at one person and one person only. And Eragon was even less happy about that.

A few rows in front of him sat one male out of many on the bus that afternoon. The young man was obviously older than Eragon's eighteen years, maybe as much as three. He had messy dark hair and intense eyes, and he always seemed to wear dark clothes. Eragon was the exactly opposite of that. It wasn't that he was overly cheerful or even wore light and bright clothes, but they were polar opposites nonetheless. Perhaps that was why Eragon couldn't help but to look at this male every time they rode the same bus?

The brunet sighed. He gazed boringly at the iPod in his hand, his fingers moving without much thought behind them. The earphones Eragon had tucked over his ears blocked out all the noise inside the bus, be it chatter or the shuddering from the aging vehicle. As Eragon neared his stop, he once again wished he would not see the older man the next day.

The brunet sighed again and pushed the button as he got ready to stand. It wasn't that he didn't like nor had a grudge against the male. It was the fact that his eyes would seek him out. It had been like that ever since the first time Eragon had seen the other on the bus. They had yet for their eyes to properly meet or have an exchange of words, and that suited Eragon just fine. As long as the other stayed as a stranger on the bus, he was happy.

Eragon nodded to himself and jumped out of the bus as it stopped. He would make sure it stayed that way. But Fate worked in mysterious ways. Eragon had yet to know what She had in store for him.

* * *

_A Story Of How Much Fate Can Screw With You During A Single Bus Ride_

_As Told By Eragon – A Steady Bus Rider_

* * *

**HEY STRANGER**

Eragon could remember the day it had started, the day he had first seen the older male. In fact, he remembered it perhaps a little too clearly.

The bus routes had just been changed, and it annoyed Eragon to no end. Fine, it was easier to get to the stop on time now as it had been placed closer to the school. Fine, the bus actually stopped closer to his house now. The only downside was the additional ten or so minutes he had to spend on the bus.

It wasn't that the brunet didn't like to ride the bus, quite the opposite. The bus was always warm in the winter and often a little cool during the summer. The seats were comfortable enough, even though the bus had seen better days. There weren't that many that even took his bus, so it was often easy to find a place to sit. And Eragon liked the solitude he could get on the bus. It also gave him time to think and listen to music undisturbed until it was time to leave the vehicle. It just annoyed him that he now needed to wait longer to get home, and the bus was starting to get more crowded as time passed. But he could live with it. It was his only way home after all.

It was during one of the first weeks Eragon saw him. The bus had been late, but thankfully there were few that took the same bus as him. So, when Eragon boarded, he was just looking forward to a window seat and to let his mind wander as he got closer to home. He had not been prepared to see a young man staring out of the window painfully, angrily, just a few seats ahead of him.

Normally Eragon wouldn't have cared. This time however, something just stabbed him in his heart. The dark haired man looked so angry and yet so confused. Eragon didn't even realise he had been staring until someone bumped into him from behind. The brunet had blushed softly then and started to walk again. Unfortunately, a bag that had not been stuffed properly under a seat tripped him. Eragon cursed softly and leaned briefly onto the back of one of the seats. The older male must have heard his curse, for he looked up and away from the window. Their eyes met for the first time.

Eragon was once again paralysed. Deep hazel eyes stared straight into his soul. Eragon quickly straightened himself and moved further into the back. A blush was firmly placed on his cheeks during his entire ride. The only thing that had comforted him that day was that he sat behind the man and not in front of him. Because, if he had been, Eragon was sure he would have felt eyes pricking into the back of his neck. And he wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

--

"_I was actually angry at myself in the beginning. I mean, who is stupid enough to fall for someone they've only seen on the bus and never even spoken to?! Me apparently. I wasn't angry that he was a guy; I was more than okay with that. I was angry at myself for being shy. And I don't need to tell who made the first move. That's more than obvious." – Eragon _

--

Now, one year later, Eragon was in his second year in high school and saw the same male everyday on the bus. Eragon knew that he went to college, as he often had college books open and read them during the rides they shared. At first, Eragon had only seen the other male two days a week. Then he started his second year and suddenly he saw the stranger, as Eragon now called him, on the bus twice a day. The other got unto the bus before him and left after him. That and that he went to a very good quality college was all Eragon knew about him. And Eragon preferred that it would stay that way.

The brunet sighed as another day was finally over. But he wasn't alone for a change. It wasn't often, but sometimes his friends Saphira or Arya would join him on the bus home. Saphira had been his friend since birth. She had sky blue eyes and blonde hair with blue highlights. She would come to stay over at his house; often claiming it was too long since they had seen each other or that he needed help to get the school work done.

Eragon had gotten to know Arya during a buddy project at school. She was one year older than Eragon and Saphira, and had short black hair and twinkling green eyes. Arya though, would just sit by his side, bantering amusedly with him until he would crack and ask why she was there with him. To that Arya would say that she missed him and then walk home with him. Of course, she rarely went inside during such visits. Arya would more likely skip over to visit the girl next door. It puzzled him somewhat that Arya would always just skip inside without knocking. But Eragon thanked the Gods that the walls were thick. He had a feeling he didn't want to know what was going on in there.

That day it was Saphira that was by his side. And Eragon was thankful of that. It meant no teasing and just quiet talking instead of the almost shouting he did with Arya.

The bus finally came five minutes later. Saphira boarded before him and Eragon followed her just a step behind. His eyes involuntarily searched out the stranger he was so used to seeing now. And there he sat, just two rows in front of Saphira. The dark hair was messily styled as Eragon noticed before he could stop himself. The stranger was gazing out of the window, an open book in his lap and his arms crossed over his chest. Eragon averted his gaze and walked past him perhaps a bit too stiffly. Saphira sent him a studying glance, but Eragon just slipped into the window seat and got ready for the bus to move. Saphira sat down a second later, just as the bus started to move.

There was one more reason Eragon was glad it was Saphira accompanying him that day. The blonde rarely talked during the rides. There was more often than not a comfortable silence around them. They usually waited until they got go to a more private place to talk, even if it was just about silly things.

"Eragon."

It seemed that Saphira wasn't going to stay silent that day.

"Yeah?" The brunet answered, fiddling with the black headphones he always had tucked around his neck.

"Are you alright?" Saphira asked softly.

Eragon just nodded. He made sure that his gaze wouldn't wander. Saphira was sharp, both with her mind and vision. She would easily see that he was looking somewhere and who or what he was looking at before he even knew it himself.

"What are you avoiding?" The blonde asked a minute later.

Eragon swore under his breath. Saphira hit him over the head, shaking her head at the same time.

"Tell me, Eragon." She continued.

"Nothing." Eragon murmured.

"I know you're not avoiding a thing. I meant _who_."

Eragon bit his lip to keep himself from cursing out loud again.

"No one." The brunet insisted and sent his friend a tried glare.

Saphira paid it no mind and took a long glance around in the bus. Eragon couldn't help but to notice how her eyes stopped at the stranger before flicking back to him again.

"It's that guy isn't it? The one you walked past earlier." The blue eyed girl asked.

"Saph, I walked by half of these people earlier." Eragon stalled.

"Last time I checked there was only one guy with dark hair that keeps on glaring out of the window." Saphira stated with a small, amused grin.

The brunet just blushed softly and sunk even lower into his seat. Saphira giggled into her hand before straightening her friend forcefully.

"It's okay Eragon. We all get crushes." She said with a wink.

The bus drove over a rather nasty bump in the road, making their legs brush against each other. Eragon tried to find a comfortable position but didn't answer.

"So, have you talked to him yet?" Saphira asked, brushing her forelock away from her eyes.

Eragon just sent her another tried glare.

"Of course, this is you we're talking about."

The brunet wanted to protest, but knew it was futile. He was shy, and how he hated it!

"Maybe you should." The blonde girl said with her head tilted ever so slightly to one side.

Eragon uncrossed his arms and sighed. His eyes stared up at the ceiling as he answered in a low voice.

"I don't know him Saph, and neither do I want to. He's two or so years older than me and does not know I exist."

"You do realise you can change that?" Saphira asked amusedly.

"I – yes. I just don't want to." The brown eyed teen answered.

Saphira laughed quietly.

"Don't ever change." She said as the bus came to another stop.

Eragon looked away from the window with a half-smile.

"Don't worry. I don't plan on doing it anytime soon."

--

"_A simple bus ride; that was all it took to make me see it. There was obviously some sort of connection between them, though I could tell they had never shared a word up until that point. Strange isn't it, what life sometimes shoves into your lap?" – Saphira_

--

Eragon concentrated on breathing. In and out. In and out. His right eye was twitching, but so be it! He was not supposed to hit women!

"So, Eragon…" Said male's female friend said slyly.

Eragon glared up at Arya. The black haired girl just continued to smirk.

"Don't look at me that way. How can I not comment when you're look so cute, blushing like a school girl no less!" Arya said and laughed.

Eragon was rapidly lost his patience. Screw it, he was hitting her! Arya wasn't much of a woman anyway.

"I mean, he was rather hot after all. I can't judge you for falling for him."

Eragon groaned and wished for the pavement to swallow him whole. Why, of all days, had Arya had to take the bus with him **that** day?!

Everything had been normal for Eragon until Arya had positively skipped up to him and asked him how his _friend_ was doing. As an answer Eragon had spluttered and told her he didn't know what she was talking about. Arya had just leered then and uttered one word. _Saphira_. Eragon was going to murder his blonde friend the first chance he got. How could she have forgotten how much of a gossiper Arya was?!

"I haven't fallen for him, Arya." Eragon answered deadpanned.

The brunet was just glad the green eyed girl had waited until they had stepped off the bus before attacking him with questions and accusations.

"Sure." The black haired girl drawled.

Eragon glared at her hotly.

"Fuck you." He said with a scowl.

"Sorry, I don't swing that way." Arya answered with a leer.

"God, don't remind me." Eragon muttered under his breath.

Arya laughed loudly as they walked on. Eragon made sure to look like he didn't know the girl walking beside him. Arya was drawing many people's attention by being so loud, and Eragon hated attention.

"Listen, Saphira filled me in -"

"No, really?" Eragon said sarcastically.

"Oh, shush sunshine." Arya said and totally ignored her friend's angry splutters. "All you need to do is to talk to him. Though, I suggest treading lightly. He looked ready to murder someone. Is he like that every day?"

"Pretty much." The brown eyed teen sighed.

"A real bundle of joy you've fallen for, 'Agon." Arya said with a half-smirk.

"I said; I haven't fallen for him, already!" Eragon protested loudly.

This got quite a few people's attention. Eragon blushed hotly and glared at the pavement. Why wouldn't it just open up and eat him?! Hadn't he been forced to suffer enough?

"That's right, you're in love him." The black haired girl stated with an evil glint in her eyes.

"I'M **NOT**, DAMNIT!"

"Well, you're sure trying hard to make the world believe you aren't." Arya commented dryly.

"Well, if the _world_ would just believe me the first time then I wouldn't have to try so hard!" Eragon exclaimed.

"Face it 'Agon, you like this guy of yours." Arya said seriously as they came to a stop.

The brunet hadn't even realised they had arrived at his house.

"Even if you don't want to admit it, you like him." The black haired girl continued. "And there's nothing wrong with that."

The green eyed girl sent him an encouraging smile before ruffling his hair and leaving him in front of his home. She waved and walked into the neighbour house with ease. Eragon blinked and shuddered. He walked briskly into his own house and slammed the door behind him. One day he would find out what Arya was doing there, but not today. Today he was a little too shaken up for that.

--

"_When he got quiet during a period, I was actually quite worried about him. When I tried to banter with him, all he would do was to look away and blush. When the answer came to me, I didn't tease him as much as I normally would have. I mean, how could I? We all fall sometime. His falling was just a bit out of the blue." – Arya _

--

Eragon climbed onto the bus a week later. He had gotten plenty of time to think about his friends words, but they still didn't make much sense to him. Even with the holiday he had just left behind, everything was still a mess. Much like his room, but that was another story.

Music echoed inside his head as he took the first seat available. His eyes stayed at his feet as his head bobbed softly to the music. Occasionally he would mouth the lyrics to a song he knew half-heartedly. Eragon sunk even lower into his seat as one of his favourite songs came on and he looked up for the first time.

The bus was relatively empty, that was the first thing the brunet noticed. It was no wonder that he had plumped down during the first few rows. The second thing Eragon noticed was that he couldn't see the stranger anywhere. Disappointment washed over him. The brunet sighed and gazed out of the window sadly.

Five minutes later Eragon couldn't help but to notice that someone staring at him. The hairs were standing up in the back of his neck. The brunet frowned and sneaked a look behind him. His eyes widened immediately and he turned to stare out in front of him, a blush blossoming in his cheeks. Eragon cursed under his breath and peeked over his shoulder again.

There he sat, his legs stretched out in front of him and that hazel gaze firmly placed on Eragon's blushing figure. The brunet turned back around and bit his lip. He must have been imagining things. The stranger was probably staring out into the air. Eragon himself did so frequently, something that his friends always commented on. It didn't bother him, and it was not like he could control it.

When his phone decided to ring a second later, Eragon shot up in his seat. Flushing an even darker red he answered the phone in a rather annoyed tone.

"Yes?"

"_Is that a way to greet your cousin?"_ The husky voice of Eragon's cousin asked amusedly.

"When the cousin is you Roran, then yes it is." Eragon answered deadpanned.

"_Ouch, your words wound me cousin."_ Roran teased with a laugh.

"Was there even a reason you called?" Eragon asked as he glared out the window, not really watching the landscape as it passed by.

"_Must I have a reason to call my favourite relative?"_ Roran asked teasingly.

"You never call unless you have a reason." The brunet reminded him as he rolled his eyes.

"_Roran, stop teasing him."_ A female voice filled the speaker. _"Hello Eragon."_

"Hey Katrina." Eragon greeted.

"_I didn't even get a lousy hello."_ Roran said, clearly pouting.

"You don't need, nor do you deserve one." Eragon stated as he crossed his legs. "Your reason, Roran?"

"_Ah, we just called to ask whether you could come over next weekend."_ Katrina said in her soothing voice.

"Sure." Eragon answered.

"_You know, I feel wounded. You never talk to me that nicely."_ Roran said accusingly.

"That because you're dead-set on tormenting me." The brunet replied.

"_Then we'll see you next weekend, Eragon. We're so excited to hear about this new guy of yours."_

Eragon froze. He sunk even lower into his seat and answered Katrina in a hushed whisper.

"What?!"

"_Arya is quite the word-spreader. She couldn't stop talking about this dark and handsome stranger you've taken a fancy to."_ Katrina said with a soft giggle.

"I hate her right now." Eragon grumbled.

"_I know you do, honey. But really, don't. We can help you get over your fears."_ The female told him.

"Thanks, but no thanks." The brunet said with a glare once again directed at the world outside.

"_We'll see about that."_ Katrina said with a soft laugh. _"We'll be seeing you soon then!"_

Before Eragon could answer, Roran said the sentence that tipped him over the edge.

"_But don't you do anything before I've cleared him!"_

Eragon hung up, the previously retreating blush coming back with full force. He swore rather loudly, and an old woman sitting across of him jumped in shock. She sent him a rather dark glare. Eragon just grinned sheepishly. The old woman turned around with her 

nose turned up in disgust. Eragon groaned mentally and banged his head against a metaphorical brick wall. Things could not get any worse!

Of course, that was until he realised he had missed his stop. The brunet cursed even louder and pressed the button harshly. The next stop came up ahead and Eragon jumped out of his seat and nearly fell over his own feet as the bus stopped rather abruptly. Eragon shook his head and looked up, and straight into a pair of calculating hazel eyes. Eragon half-ran off the bus then, making sure to keep his eyes on the pavement as he walked by the windows. Never in his life had he felt so embarrassed!

--

"_I didn't believe it at first. I mean, I had no reason to! He never seemed interested in anyone. Of course I was shocked when I learned he had fallen for someone he took the bus with!" – Roran _

--

Eragon had been yawning so much that morning he was sure his jaw would be aching by the time he was done. The bus was late, but what else was new, and he had had to stay up late to work for a project. The adrenaline had kicked in when he had woken up and realised he had fifteen minutes until the bus arrived, but that had long since disappeared. And now, after having waited for the bus for ten minutes already, Eragon was so tired he had to pinch himself to stay awake.

There was a mechanical groan of doors opening that startled Eragon out of his light slumber. He jumped up, mentally scolding himself for almost having fallen asleep, and stepped onto the bus. It was fuller during the mornings as many were going to school or work, but there were always seats available. Eragon sunk down into one just by the door and yawned again. He slung his bag into the seat beside him and made himself comfortable.

The winter was arriving and the heaters had been turned on in the old vehicle. Eragon felt a soft smile enter his face as he almost snuggled against the wall and settled to gaze sleepily out of the window. The soft rocking of the bus was almost lulling him to sleep. A large yawn overcame him and Eragon stretched his thin arms over his head. He lowered them and at the same time noticed a familiar face across of him. Eragon froze.

The stranger was seated almost like him, only his legs was stretched halfway over the empty seat beside him and a book rested comfortably in his hands. The intense eyes moved back and forth over the pages in front of him. He appeared not to have noticed Eragon yet.

The brunet looked away when he noticed he had been staring. And so openly too! Eragon blushed and sunk even lower into his seat. The embarrassment didn't last long. Soon his eyelids were dropping again and the rocking lulled Eragon into a light sleep.

Eragon wasn't sure how much time had passed, but too soon for his liking he was being shaken awake. Eragon frowned and tried to continue to sleep, but it was proved to be futile.

"Just five more minutes. Leave me alone." Eragon murmured sleepily.

The shaking stopped for a second, as if the shaker was startled by his verbal response. But the shaking began again as soon as it had begun, if anything a bit more insistent this time.

The brunet's frown deepened and he opened his eyes blearily. He rubbed sleep out of his eyes and was for a minute disoriented as to where he was. Then he remembered. Frantically he looked around himself and saw that the bus was just coming to a stop at his school. Sighing in relief Eragon stood and suddenly remembered that he had been shaken from his slumber. He looked around himself, but no one spared him a second glance or showed that they had so graciously helped him. Eragon shrugged and half-stumbled off the bus.

It was only ten minutes later that Eragon remembered that the seat across of him had been empty. The stranger had been gone.

--

"_It took a long time for the both of them to realise what was going on. I guess they had never felt that connection with someone before. I'm just glad it's all solved now, even if we had a little hand in the outcome." – Katrina _

--

It was a rather unusual day for Eragon. Not only did he have company on the bus, but both Arya and Saphira were there with him. It hadn't proven difficult for them to find a proper seat. The bus had one row of seats facing each other. They had claimed them instantly upon arrival, though the girls had made sure that Eragon sat facing the back of the bus. He needed to give them a piece of his mind someday soon.

"Finally weekend, huh?" Arya said as she crossed her long legs in front of her.

"Yes, I can't wait to get a full eight hours of sleep!" Saphira exclaimed happily.

Eragon just nodded mutely.

"Aw, of course Eragon isn't looking forward to another weekend. That means two days without seeing his **special** someone!" Arya teased softly.

Eragon just sent her a glare. Arya raised her hands in surrender. That seemed to be happening more and more often, Eragon noticed. Arya used to tease him mercilessly, but recently she had backed off when asked. And it puzzled Eragon to no end.

"We just want you to be happy, Eragon." Saphira commented, successfully shaking Eragon out of his thoughts. "Even if it's with someone we don't know anything about yet."

"The day you two stop meddling with my love life is the day the world ends." Eragon said sourly.

"Too true." Arya said with a snigger.

The friends fell silent. Eragon leaned back and was back to fiddling with his headphones. A song played softly inside his mind, the lyrics lost in the deep bass and other thoughts that his mind occupied.

"But, all jokes aside…" Arya spoke up a few minutes later. "Do you know anything about him?"

Eragon sighed.

"He goes to college and likes to read, but that's it." The brunet said softly.

Saphira looked disappointed, but Arya had a thoughtful look on her face. She sneaked a long glance on the dark haired male a few rows behind them before nodding to herself.

"That's something at least." Saphira said and tried to appear encouraging.

"'Course it is. And what does he know about me, if he even cares?! Only that I listen to music and have crazy friends. And let's not forget that I'm clumsy as hell!" Eragon said in a tried tone.

"Oh, shush you." Saphira said with a soft glare. "And since when were you clumsy?"

"Every frigging time I'm around him." Eragon replied with a pained groan.

"They don't call it falling in love for nothing." Arya added with a crocked grin.

Eragon had to hold himself from laughing. The joke wasn't very funny, but somehow the whole situation made it seem that way. He settled for rolling his eyes.

"Don't roll your eyes at me. Who knows, maybe this girl holds the answer to all your problems?" Arya said slyly.

"What are you scheming now? Because a) it can't be good, and b) keep me out of it!" Eragon said and made sure to even back away from the girl as much as he could.

Arya tipped her head back and laughed. Some people around them were startled and sent them shocked looks. Eragon blushed and turned to stare out of the window. Somehow though, his eyes wandered to the familiar stranger again.

The older male didn't have any books with him that day. Instead, his eyes were closed and he seemed to be listening to music. His arms were crossed over his muscular chest and he was leaning partly against the window partly against the seat. But for once there was no frown on his face. In its stead a small smile graced his lips.

Eragon sighed and looked away, a soft blush in his cheeks. Saphira sent him a knowing glance.

"This is exactly the same thing that I went through with Thorn." She spoke up quietly. "Neither of us wanted to make a move, but in the end it came down to me. Sometimes the girl has to be the man and speak up."

"Hey, I'm no girl!" Eragon protested just as quietly.

One of Saphira's eyebrows rose. A half-smirk entered her lips.

"In that relationship, I'd say you would be the girl alright."

Eragon blushed and looked away. Arya just giggled softly in her seat.

--

"_It took me a few tries to get the truth out of him. He never used to like riding the bus. Too troublesome he would say. But now he did so without complain. It's a wonder I didn't see it earlier." – Thorn _

--

Christmas had come and gone, and the snow had fallen long ago. This made the buses even later, and Eragon along with everyone around him had to wait even longer out in the cold. Eragon, who huddled inside his warm jacket and scarf, cursed the weather Gods. They just had to mock him didn't they?!

He adjusted his bag and stuffed his bare hands back into his warm pockets. He had been _smart_ enough to forget his gloves at home. That was one of the reasons he wanted the bus to get there already! It was a half-hour late, which meant that Eragon would be lucky to get a seat at all. The brunet sighed and mentally prepared himself to having to stand for the entire ride home.

A few minutes later Eragon nearly jumped in joy when the old vehicle finally came into view and stopped in front of the small crowd. Eragon made sure to stand as close to the front as he could. Maybe, just maybe he could get a seat after all.

The brunet swore under his breath as he finally entered the bus. It was much warmer inside. But to his displeasure there were only a few seats left. Eragon sighed and began to walk over to the one in the back. He was halfway there when he recognised the person sitting in the other seat. _Him_. Eragon nearly stopped. Unfortunately, he had already walked past the other vacant seats. The only one was next to his familiar stranger. Eragon groaned mentally and continued to walk more quickly.

The brunet tried not to look at the older male as he sat down. The dark haired man was looking out of the window with a bored look on his face. Though, once Eragon allowed himself one look closer, there was a hint of a smile on his face. Eragon looked away quickly. He put the bag into his lap and waited for the bus to move along.

When it finally did, the brown eyed teen noticed just too well how cold his hands had become. No matter how far he stuffed them into his pockets they still were tingling with cold. Eragon took them out of his pockets and blew hot air onto them, rubbing them together almost harshly. He tried not to pay attention when the stranger beside him finally took notice of him. A soft blush spread over his cheeks, but thankfully they were already red from the cold so it was easily overlooked.

Eragon continued to rub his hands together, never quite getting any real warmth into them. He was startled by a pair of dark gloves being presented to him. Eragon frowned in confusion and looked, for the first time, properly into the hazel eyes of the male beside him.

"Here, you can borrow mine until you get warm."

Eragon had to keep himself from shivering. God, his voice just had to be as sexy as the man right?!

"Thanks." Eragon said genuinely and smiled.

The stranger just nodded and looked away again. Eragon flushed even redder and pulled the gloves onto his hands. They were still warm from previous use. The smile wouldn't leave his lips.

"I'm Eragon by the way." The brunet shocked himself by saying.

The stranger looked to be almost as startled as him. A half-smirk was quickly back onto his face though.

"Murtagh." The stranger, Murtagh, replied.

Murtagh, who seemed to have warmed up slightly, held out a hand for him to shake. Eragon started to hold out his hand until he remembered the gloves. He pulled one of them off, a little reluctant to lose its warmth, and held the hand back out. When their hands met Eragon could have sworn sparks flew up his spine.

"Your hands seem warmer now." Murtagh commented almost to himself.

Eragon released the hand unwillingly and pulled off the other glove.

"Ah, yeah. Thanks for the loan." He said and held them out.

Their hands brushed as Murtagh accepted them.

"I was in no hurry to get them back, if you're still cold…"

"Nah, I'm good." Eragon assured him.

Murtagh shrugged and put the gloves into his pockets. A comfortable silence fell between them. Eragon though, felt more aware of how he held himself and how loud his breathing seemed to be as he sat beside the dark haired male. He tried to seem as relaxed as possible, but had a feeling he was failing miserably.

"Say, you wouldn't happen to know someone named Arya, would you?" Murtagh asked casually, his eyes coming to rest at Eragon again.

"Tall girl, green eyes and black hair?" Eragon asked.

Murtagh nodded.

"Then yeah." The brunet confirmed.

"I thought you might." Murtagh commented with a soft chuckle.

"Oh?" Eragon asked hesitantly.

He almost didn't want to ask why Murtagh wanted to know that. And he didn't really want to know what Arya had done that time.

"She seemed rather eager that I'd talk to someone named Eragon." Murtagh explained.

Eragon blushed hotly. He glared at the seat in front of him and swore, mentally putting Arya up on the top of his To-Kill list.

"I'm sorry for whatever she may have said to you. She's crazy, really." Eragon said sheepishly.

"She didn't say much really." The hazel eyed man said. "Nasuada did most of the talking."

"Nas – my neighbour Nasuada?!" Eragon exclaimed.

Murtagh laughed. Eragon blushed from the sheer sound of it. Damn, was anything about this man _not_ sexy?!

"Seems like the conspiracy went a lot deeper than I thought."

Eragon just nodded mutely.

"Ah, I would love to talk about this whole scheme our few mutual friends have, but your stop is coming up." Murtagh said with another smirk.

Eragon looked out in confusion, and saw that Murtagh indeed was right.

"Hey, how did you know?" He asked suspiciously.

"After a year or so, you pick up a few things." Murtagh answered honestly.

"You… you noticed?" Eragon asked in a startled voice.

"Of course." Murtagh replied. "How could I not? You nearly fell into my lap one day."

Eragon blushed again and ducked his head. Murtagh chuckled and pressed the button, as Eragon seemed to have completely forgotten that he needed to go off soon.

"Listen kid, I'll see you around." Murtagh said as the bus came to a stop. "Tomorrow yeah?"

Eragon opened his mouth to answer when a pair of hot lips kissed his cheek softly. Murtagh pulled away, still smirking. He nodded towards the doors and Eragon just nodded hesitantly.

"Until next time… Eragon."

Eragon blushed and waved. He stepped off the bus and watched it drive away. A cold hand caressed the place Murtagh had kissed. A smile grew on his face as he turned to walk home.

--

"_It didn't come as a shock to me when he confessed it. After all, who could miss the smitten look on his face? I'm amazed it took so long though, but I'm not amazed how it ended. Really, where could be a more perfect place to begin their relationship than where they first met?" – Nasuada _

--

Eragon stepped onto the bus the next morning with a sleepy smile on his face. He wasn't sure if what had happened the previous day had all been in his mind, but his dreams had been filled with the stranger and he had slept better than he had in ages! His grin widened as he walked down the lane looking for a place to sit.

"Eragon."

Eragon looked up. His eyes met a pair of twinkling hazel orbs. Murtagh nodded to the vacant seat beside him. Eragon just grinned and sat down.

"Having a good morning?" Murtagh asked amusedly.

"Yeah." Eragon answered.

Murtagh laid an arm around the brunet's shoulders and pulled him tighter against him. Eragon blushed for the first time that morning and felt rather than heard Murtagh chuckle. The brunet didn't complain, rather made himself more comfortable.

"I'm glad." Murtagh whispered into his ear.

Eragon shuddered softly. Murtagh chuckled louder this time.

"So, why don't you tell me a little about yourself?"

Eragon looked up into Murtagh's eyes.

"Only if you do the same." He responded.

"Of course." Murtagh replied.

And so Eragon began his tale. Murtagh added a comment here and there, but mostly he stayed silent. Eragon didn't realise he had been talking the entire time until they were two stops away from his school. He sighed in disappointment.

"There's always this afternoon." Murtagh assured him.

Eragon nodded almost reluctantly. Murtagh lifted his chin up and gave him a genuine smile. Eragon nearly melted.

"Don't be so down. You never know what the afternoon may bring." The dark haired young man told him wisely.

Eragon laughed softly. He was silenced again, though slightly differently than the last time. A pair of lips covered his own; soft and slightly chapped from the cold. But Eragon didn't care. It couldn't have been more perfect.

They pulled away when the bus prepared to stop and Eragon had to go. The brunet sighed and stood. Murtagh grabbed onto his hand and held him back just as the bus finally came to a stop.

"We will see each other again. When haven't we this last year?" Murtagh stated with a wink.

Eragon grinned softly and nodded.

"Yeah. I'll see you, Murtagh!" He said and walked off with a much lighter heart.

It was only after the bus had driven away that he realised that something was clenched in his palm. Eragon opened his hand and found a folded piece of paper in it. He unfolded it and read the content.

A warm smile startled Saphira and Arya as they watched their friend walk up to them a few minutes later, a small piece of paper held gently in one hand. Unknowingly to them, on it was a phone number and a name. _Murtagh_. Just thinking about it made Eragon smile.

He couldn't wait for the afternoon to arrive.

--

"_The first time I saw him, I could have sworn it was me who had tripped, and not him. My head just wouldn't stop swirling. How could I not continue to take the bus when I saw him everyday? He soon became the light that got me to school and the light that made me face my fears. And I'm more than glad that he's finally mine." – Murtagh_

--

**The End

* * *

**

**A/N** So, what did you think? ;D

Well, I'm pleased with it. It's the first fic I've managed to finish after _Twisted_. And it's really sad, because I have five other fics sitting on my comp, just waiting to be continued… And that was the cue for the plot bunnies to enter! Sadly, they must not have gotten the script, and I'm stuck in another dry-spell. :sigh:

But fear not! I'll see to that I manage to post something again soon. Those lil' buggers will return as soon as the stress goes away. Continuing school was the worst thing I could have done! :lol:


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